The recruitment flyer for Culture Link's "On Indigenous Land" project.

Project Description

Starting September 2024, in partnership with CultureLink, MCT will deliver a series of 24 virtual workshops with diverse youth in Toronto as part of the ON Indigenous Land project. This project brings together youth to foster cross cultural understanding.

After the youth participants engage in a series of training and education workshops with Indigenous elders and the Centre for Indigenous Research, MCT will facilitate interactive, engaging Forum Theatre (FT) workshops with them, in four groups of twenty youth.

Through this process, the youth will explore anti-Indigenous racism through interactive FT games, exercises and discussions. Our expert facilitators cultivate a safe, non-hierarchical environment where our participants feel empowered to share their perspectives, ask questions, and learn from each other.

Through this process we will develop an FT script highlighting the universal challenges that Indigenous people face in our communities. The final stage of this project is a staged reading where the youth will hear their scripts read and have the opportunity to offer feedback.

Facilitators

A photo of Heather Cherron von Atzigen staring forward in front of a brown background.

Heather Cherron von Atzigen

Heather Cherron von Atzigen was first introduced to Theatre of the Oppressed by Simon Malbogat through his Mixed Company Theatre. It has now been over 25 years that she has been an associate artist with Mixed Company. Last season, Heather wrote, created a song, directed and co-facilitated “PUSH” a virtual Forum Theatre piece about the culture of sexual assault on post-secondary campuses. “PUSH” was followed up with another virtual creation, “I Carry with Me”; a poignant hit of reality on race and privilege, where she once again was entrusted to create a script with movement, poetry, a song and of course very real challenges. Heather also performed as Marissa in MCT’s live and virtual tour, in Catherine Frid’s “Two-Sided Mirror”. While there have been many highlights with MCT, being nominated with the rest of the cast of “DISS”, for a Dora Mavor Moore award really stands out.

A photo of Simon Malbogat smiling in front of a beige and brown background.

Simon Malbogat

Simon Malbogat co-founded Mixed Company Theatre in 1983 and has been the Artistic Director since 1989. In 1992 Mixed Company Theatre became Canada’s first CTO (Centre for Theatre of the Oppressed). Simon has over thirty years’ experience as a director, dramaturg, teacher, actor, and workshop facilitator. Teaching highlights include University of Toronto, Concordia University, York University, Humber College, Brock University and Queen’s University. Simon has facilitated hundreds of workshops for youths and adults in Europe, South America, USA, and Canada and has facilitated over 1,000 Forum Theatre presentations. Simon has led workshops in Turkey, Brazil, Finland, and the Ukraine. In Toronto, Simon has been involved in developing the arts in the community with programs for families, women, seniors, youth, homeless adults & youth and persons with disabilities.